Sphere with Vertical Cross-Section

Topic

3D Geometry

Description

This animation shows a sphere with a vertical cross-section. It illustrates that any plane intersecting a sphere creates a circular cross-section, with the largest circle (the great circle) occurring when the plane passes through the center of the sphere.

Using animated math clip art like this helps students understand the internal structure of spheres from a different perspective. Teachers can use this to discuss concepts such as great circles, hemispheres, and how cross-sections relate to the volume of a sphere.

Here's a potential script for teachers: "Observe the vertical cross-section of this sphere. How does it compare to the horizontal cross-section we saw earlier? Can you identify the largest possible cross-section? How does this help us understand the symmetry of a sphere?"

For a complete collection of animated math clip art related to 3D Geometry click on this link: Animated 3D Geometry Collection.